(By Akshita Mittal, 2nd Year Law Student at National Law University, Nagpur)

Sir, as being a law teacher, how would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

Well I prefer to introduce myself as a student of law and not as a teacher of a law, because I feel that I am a student first and a teacher later. About my academic, I did my LL. M. in Constitutional Law and Human Rights from Post Graduate Teaching Department of Law, University of Nagpur and Ph. D in the area of Medical Negligence and Consumer Protection from National Law University, Jodhpur. I started my Teaching career from National Law University, Jodhpur and have the experience of teaching in both Government and Private Law Schools. I was Principal at Integrated School of Law, Ghaziabad (affiliated to CCS University, Meerut) and Associate Professor of Law and Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, New Delhi (Affiliated to GGSIP University). Before joining NLU, Nagpur; I was teaching at NLU, Assam, Guwahati.

What inspired you to join law, were you able to satisfy yourself inspiration?

The capacity of law to empower the weak inspired me to choose the legal profession and I am more than satisfied to be in this profession.

How was your law school journey?

I studied both UG and PG in traditional Universities, but I am happy that I had teachers like Prof. (Dr.) Chaturbhuj Tiwari and Prof. (Dr.) SL Despande and UG and PG level respectively, who inspired to work hard and learn more and more because there is no end to knowledge. Indeed, I must attribute my all achievements to my teachers, who were great professionals and human beings as well.

What are the opportunities that are open today to Law Teachers? How does one grow in this noble profession?

There is no dearth of opportunities for a hard working teacher. In India, the field of empirical research is still virgin, which can be taken up by young teachers. This would be of great help in policy formulation besides self-growth. But I personally feel that a teacher should look for every opportunity to enhance the capacity and growth of his/her students and not his own.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The best thing in our job is that we get the opportunity to shape the future of our nation. A child is a father of a man. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. If they are very well groomed, motivated, diligent, honest, kind and compassionate – the country shall grow in peace and prosperity – and a teacher plays a vital role in this formation and transformation.

Sir, according to you what is the importance of Mooting, Publication and Internships in a law student life?

Indeed, they help students learn the law in action. In moots, they get the opportunity to solve a hypothetical problem. In mooting they develop all the three skills of researching, writing and arguing – needed for a successful lawyer. Publications develop their critical thinking and in internships they get the opportunity to apply their theoretical learning of class room in to practical experiences. It is indeed a very important source of learning for the students because these all are the tools of self-learning, which is considered to be the best way of learning.

Did you face problems in taking up law teaching as a profession and how did you cope up with all this?

Nothing is easy in life. They are a number of challenges even for becoming a law teacher – getting basic qualification – LL M, NET, Ph D. But then most challenging task is that these days the quality of students which come in law school is very high. They come in law by choice, rather first choice and not by chance. They take lot of interest and are very well informed and updated in all most all areas. We teachers find ourselves deficient on many occasions. But then – that makes us work harder and makes us better.

What is the one thing that keeps you going?

The company of young and smiling students.

Law profession demands a lot of attention and determination and also sleepless nights, what are those thoughts, the ideas which you had in the initial days of your struggle which never let you sleep?

We were given so much of work and no option but to complete the given task. There was no time to think otherwise. Specially I always liked the job and hence never thought to give up the work, even if it was more. Moreover, even other professions too have plenty of work to do – say for example medical and engineering professionals are also very busy.

The best experience and a success habit you would like to share as a student for our readers that would encourage them.

Keep smiling, never lose hope, believe in God, be helpful and work diligently.

What would you suggest for the students who are new to the law profession and those who are graduating?

There is no short cut to success and nothing is permanent – neither success – nor failure. One must not relax, neither after success nor after failure. And yes, we do everything for our happiness – so we must be happy in both these conditions and should also try to keep our nears and dears happy – especially parents.

How do you measure the success of any person in their career?

If I have to measure the success of a person, I will find out as to how many people are smiling because of that person, how many people got inspired to work hard and become good citizens because of that person. I think, that should be the measurement of success and not the position you hold – because many a times one gets the position not because of his qualification and competence – but because of other things.

What according to you should be the prime concern for law students?

Social change and Social Reform, Empowerment of weak and downtrodden, vulnerable groups, should be the prime concern of all of us related to law.

What would be your message to the Law students to encourage them and to grow them in their personal as well as professional lives?

They must be happy, they should know that they have competition with themselves and none other and they must be helpful, honest and hard working in life. They should also be God fearing.

Please share the golden rules of your life which brought you here so that the students can gain from the useful insight and can be inspired by you.

Take the blessings of all. This bridges the gap between your efforts and success.

In this long career when did you consider yourself a success?

I feel, being able to breathe, see, stand and help others should also be considered to be successful. Hence, in my opinion, I have been successful since my childhood itself.

What’s the best way for a student to get to know you?

Why me? I am very small person. We should try to know ourselves first.

Any suggestions or comments for the students?

God bless them.

Sir, your views on LawOF and token of Love and message to our readers?

LawOF is doing a great work by informing and motivating young students. I wish them great success.